GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (GRPS) — The Grand Rapids Board of Education has unanimously approved plans to transform the former Beckwith School property into community green space, expanding recreational opportunities for neighbors while preserving the site for potential future district needs.
Located at Leonard Street and Plymouth Avenue NE, Beckwith Elementary School closed in 2002. Following the closure, the building served as home to a Kent ISD adult education program and later as office space for GRPS staff.
The building currently costs approximately $225,000 to operate annually and is in need of repairs to the HVAC system, roof, and parking lot. Immediate repair costs are estimated at $1.5 million. The board determined that demolishing the aging facility was a more responsible investment than making costly improvements to the decades-old building. Demolition is estimated to cost approximately $600,000.
The district anticipates demolition work to happen in 2027. The site will then be converted into green space, with specific site plans still to be developed.
"This decision allows the Beckwith School property to once again add value to our neighbors while allowing our district to hold onto the property for a school in the future if enrollment dictates," said Board of Education President José Rodriguez.
